Operating mechanism for awnings



June 19, 1923. 1 1,459,009

F. R. ASHLEY OPERATING MECHANISM FOR AWNINGS Filed Oct. 1, 1921 FRANK R. ASHLEY, or

EDGEWATER, COLORADO.

OPERATING MECHANISM r03 nw'nmss.

Application filed October 1, 1921.: Seria1'.No. 564,700.

T all whom it may concern. ,v

Be it known that I, F RANK'R. ASHLEY,

citizenJofthe United States, and resident of Edgewater, in the countyof Beaver and State ofColorado,-have invented an Improvement in Operating Mechanism for Awnings, of-which the following descrip- '-tion, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a: specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My present invention relates to awnings, and more particularly to an improved operating mechanism therefor.

The ordinary operating mechanism for awnings usually consists of nothing more than a few light ropes and pulleys invariably operated from the outside ofthe building on which the awnings are placed. When the awnings are used to shade windows, such as shop windows, such operating mechanism is always a source of danger, and accidents frequently occur-to those persons operating the same. lVhen, as in thecase of shop windows, theoperating mechanism is so located as to project from the building into the path of travel on the side-walks, there is always danger to passers-by through failure of the operating mechanism, and such mechanism is frequently operated by mischievous boys or hoodlums, tothe great danger of themselves and tothe passers-by. Ihave endeavored to overcome the objections to previous-structures, and particularly as applied to large shop windows, and to this'end have devised a simple and eflicient mechanism for raising and lowering awnings of all types, such mechanism to be operated from within the building on which the awnings are placed. Preferably also, I have dispensed with the usual ropes and pulleys heretofore employed, but my'invention.

7 is broad enough incharacter to permit the use of such devices, and I have, in the present application, illustrated one'embodiment in which the usual ropes and pulleys are retained. My invention therefore, is adapted to be applied to existing awning installations, while it is contemplated in all new apparatus to dispense .entirely'with such ropes and pulleys.

The principal object of my present invention therefore, is an improved operating mechanism for awnings and the like.

Another object is an improved operating mechanism for awnings and the like adaptin which the awnings are located,

Other objects and novel featuresof scription of the invention progresses. I

In the accompanying drawings illustrating preferred embodiments of my invention,; F1g. 1 1s a side 6l6VttlO11;'

.Fig. 2' is. a front elevation,

cation Fig. 4 is a front elevation of F 3, partly;

another modi dotted lines in Fig. 2. To the wall 10, on

either side of the window 11' are attached brackets 12, to which are pivotally attached outwardly'extending arms 13, the outer ends of these armsbeing connected by-a barle to which is secured the outer or lower edge of the awning 15. On the wall 10 and a-dj'acent the upper end of the window -l1are brackets 16 and. 17, in which-is rotatably mounted a shaft'lScarrying a roller 19 to whichthe upper edge of the awning 15 is attached and on which such awning is adapted to be rolled. On the end of the shaft 18 adjacent the bracket 16 isattached a bevel gear 20 meshing'witha bevel gear 21 attached to the top of a shaft 22, this shaft 22 being journalled in the bracket 16 and in abox bracket 23 attached to the wall 10. The lower end of theshaft 22, within the box bracket 23, has attached thereto a bevel gear 24 which meshes with a bevel gear 25 secured to the outer end of'a'shaft 26, which passes through the wallw10 into the interior-ofthe building, a plate 27 secured to the inner face of the wall 10 forming'va bearing for the inner end of the shaft 26. Secured to the end of the shaft 26 isa ratchet wheel 28, while rotatably mountedv the, construction and arrangement vof 'parts shown and described will appear aslthe dea detail of the ratchet operating rear oer-cs. edto beoperatedfrom-withiirthe K 1 Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a modifi- Referring to the drawings, and more-pare ticularly to Figs. '1 and 2, 10 designatesa" wall surrounding a window ll,-shown in 26 and 22 and the roller 19 in a direction to wind the awning 15 on the roller, thus elevating the bar 14 to raise the awning. Pivotally mounted on the plate 27 is a spring pressed holding pawl 31 for retaining the mechanism in operated position. hen it is desired to lower the awning the handle 29 is grasped and the holding pawl 31 with drawn from engagement with the ratchet wheel 28, when the weight of the bars 13 and 14 is sufficient to cause the rotation of the roller 19 and shafts 22 and 26 to lower the awning 15 to any position desired, when the holding pawl 31 is allowed to reengage the ratchet wheel 28. If desired, the holding pawl 31 may be dispensed with, and the operating arm 29 may be locked in position by engaging with lugs (not shown) on the inner face of the wall 10. or plate 27. Should it be desired not to depend on the weight of the bars 13 and 14 to lower the awning, the extreme inner end of the shaft 26 may be arranged to fit a crank handle (not shown) and by means of which the various shafts may be positively rotated.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, where it is assumed that the window 11 is quite broad, and therefore that the awning 32 is heavy, I have arranged the shaft 26 centrally of and below such window, and in this case the bevel gear 25 on the outer end of the shaft 26 engages with the bevel gear 33 mounted on and intermediate the ends of a horizontal shaft 34, a housing 35 enclosing such bevel gears 25 and 33. This shaft 34 is journalled in box brackets 36 at either end, or side, of the windows 11 and is provided with bevel gears 37 meshing with bevel gears 38 attached to the lower ends of vertically arranged shafts 39 journalled in the box brackets 36 and in brackets 40 located on the outer surface of the wall 10 at a height determined by the height of the awning structure above the sidewalk. On the top of each shaft 39 is attached a bevel gear 41 which meshes with a bevel gear 42 on a stub shaft 43 rotatably mounted in the bracket 40, and to the inner end of each such stub shaft 43 is attached outwardly extending arms 44, the outer ends of these arms b ing connected by a bar 45 to which the lower edge of the awning 32 is fastened. In this modification, theupper edge of the awning 32 is secured to the upper framework of the window 11 by tacks 46, as shown. The various bevel gears referred to in the description of this modification are substandispensed with. The holding pawl 31 may be utilized in conjunction with the ratchet wheel 28, or limiting stops for the arm 29 supplied on the inner face of the wall 10 or on the plate 27.

Should the awning 32 be already installed,

with the usual ropes 47 and pulleys 48, the

shaft 26 may be provided, at its outer end,

with a drum 49 to which the ropes 47 may be attached, when the awning 32 may be raised and lowered as desired in the manner described with reference to the modifications shown in Figs. 1 and 2. i

While I have shown and described the preferred modifications of my invention somewhat in detail, it is to be understood that I may vary the size, shape and arrangement of parts constituting my invention within wide limits without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described I claim as new, is:

In a device of the kind described, a combination of a wall, a rotatably mounted shaft extending from the exterior to the interior thereof, a ratchet secured to the inner end of said shaft, an operating arm rotatably mounted on the inner end of said shaft, a pawl pivotally mounted on said operating arm and associated with said bracket, a bevel gear secured to the outer end of said shaft, a horizontal shaft rotatably mounted on thee'xterior of the wall, bevel gears secured to said shaft, one of said gears.

meshing with the bevel gear on the outer end of said first shaft, a vertically arranged shaft mounted on the exterior of the wall, bevel gears secured to theends thereof, one of said bevel gears meshing with the remaining gear on the horizontally arrangedshaft, a U-shaped frame pivotally mounted on the exterior of said wall, a bevel gear on one of the arms thereof and meshing with the other of the bevel gears on the vertically arranged shaft on the exterior of the wall, and an awning having one edge secured to the wall and the opposite edge secured to the U-shaped frame.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

FRANK R. ASHLEY. 

